Second Degree Murder Conviction Reversed by Court of Appeals

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DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa Court of Appeals has reversed the second degree murder conviction of a Des Moines man.

Kent Tyler III was found guilty in Richard Daughenbaugh’s 2013 murder. Prosecutors said Tyler, who was 18 at the time, threw the first punch in the attack that killed Daughenbaugh.

The Iowa Court of Appeals issued its ruling Wednesday morning, saying “the evidence presented at trial fails to establish that Tyler could have reasonably expected the crowd to murder Daughenbaugh as a result of his single punch.”

The ruling also says there was insufficient evidence to support Tyler’s conviction based on any of the State’s theories of liability.

Tyler had been sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Two other men were convicted in the case. James Shorter and Yarvon Russell were found guilty of second-degree murder. A third man, Leprese Williams, was acquitted of first degree murder.